Holding Hands
by AileonGG
Summary: With each day that went by, Rory grew less and less excited about being in America. A friends is just what he needs and when someone he knew from before his exchange student program shows up, he may get what he needs.


With every week that went by, Rory was finding it harder and harder to like being in America. All that he wanted was to have an amazing experience in another country, the one he had been interested in ever since he was a little kid. But each passing moment there made him doubt that more and more, especially with what had happened earlier that day: the game of dodging balls that he had been a part of. It was just a game, games were supposed to be fun. They weren't supposed to make the players bleed and feel humiliated. He knew that much. At least Kurt had helped him by taking him to the nurse's office, which luckily for them, was still open, though empty. The senior knew enough about first aid to patch him up, and also gave him sympathy words that Rory hardly paid attention to. After all, he just wanted to leave the school, have some time for himself. But his bad day wasn't over yet. When the young Irish lad went to change back to his normal clothes, he found them gone. Of course, it didn't take him long at all to guess who made that happen. The hockey team, he had no doubts about it. For some reason they were set in making his life even worse.

Rory felt like he was going to break down anytime soon. He just wanted to be happy. Was that really too much to ask? Apparently it was. He didn't want to be there anymore, he wanted to go home. But he knew that wouldn't happen. If he went back to Ireland before the exchange student program was over… It would be too embarrassing, it was definitely out of the question. Maybe all that he needed was to clear his mind, to think about Kurt's words of encouragement. The "It gets better" promise. Maybe it would, he just had to wait. And one of the benches that were outside the Lima Bean was a good place to clear his head without bothering anyone. So there he was, still wearing his P.E. uniform and with his hands covering his face while he kept taking deep breaths. Things were going to get better, he would be able to get through the year and have a good time, and things _had_ to get better…

"Those shorts look like they belong to a girl. They look good on you though."

The young Irishman looked up, recognizing the owner of that voice immediately without even having to look. A voice that he knew from before he even arrived in America, who belonged to the only familiar face Rory knew in that country.

"Sebastian Smythe…"

With his usual smirk on his face, the taller boy dressed in his Dalton Academy uniform took a seat next to him while taking another sop of his coffee. He and Rory had known each other for a long time, back when Sebastian was living in Paris and Rory and his family were in a vacation in the same place. Seeing each other in Lima had been a big surprise for both of them, but at the same time one Rory welcomed with open arms. A friend was just what he needed and maybe Sebastian was that for him.

"Rough day, Irish?"

Rory looked down to his hands, hesitating for a moment. Sebastian was the closest thing he had to a friend in Lima, even though he had noticed some changes in him since the last time they saw each other but then again, he guessed that was only expected after all. He needed to get things off his chest, he needed a friend, and he had to be hopeful that Sebastian was that friend for him. Trust was something important in friendships, wasn't it? And if he was going to consider the Warbler as his friend, then he had to trust him enough to tell him about his worries.

"America is not as grand as I thought it was."

And it didn't take him long at all to start telling him everything. Once he had opened his mouth and he started to bring everything up, it was impossible to stop him. But Sebastian listened closely to every word that came out of Rory's lips with sincere interest. Anyone that walked by and recognized Sebastian would think that it was completely weird for him to be nice. But the thing was that, without knowing so, the young Irish lad managed to bring out the best out of him, that good part of him that he had been forced to bury deep inside of him. He just couldn't bring himself to be mean to the Irish boy that he had met so long ago. So he did just that, he listened and made sure that Rory knew he had someone out there for him. Sometimes, it was all some people needed.

"Look, I know you're probably tired of the pep talks, but you're going to be fine. Just chin up, Irish, you'll be back home in what, eight months? They'll be gone before you know it."

Rory kept his head down, just like he had done ever since Sebastian had taken a seat next to him. He didn't answer, but he knew that he had to take the Warbler's words to heart. They weren't like Kurt's, even though the message underneath was pretty much the same. The way Sebastian said it managed to do more than his teammate had accomplished, for some reason Rory couldn't put his finger on but he guessed that was only because he still had his worries locked up inside of him while talking to Kurt. If things didn't get better, he had to hold on to the thought that he was just going to be there for the school year. No more, no less. He could manage it if he set his mind to it, if he tried to be strong.

Finally, he looked up and looked at Sebastian with a small smile on his face. Then, without even thinking twice about it, he reached out to grab Sebastian's hand, who looked pretty surprised at the gesture but yet didn't pull back. It was just Rory's way to express his gratitude with a little more than words, and he had failed to notice and understand the other young man's reaction.

"Thank ya, Sebastian Smythe. I really needed that."


End file.
